602 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



day, with the Iteghe, and the infant Yafous, his fon, fitting 

 in a chair below him. 



There was no occafion to accufe the guilty. The whole 

 court, and all flrangers attending there upon bulinefs, fled, 

 and fpread an univerfal terror through the whole ftreets of 

 Gondar. All ranks of people were driven to defpair, for 

 all had rejoiced; and much lefs crimes had been before 

 punifhed with death. What this fedition would have end- 

 ed in, it is hard to know, had it not been for the imme- 

 diate refolution of the king, who ordered a general par- 

 don and amnefty to be proclaimed at the door of the pa^ 

 lace. 



There are two kettle-drums of a large fize placed one 

 on each fide of the outer gate of the king's houfe. They- 

 are called the Hon and the lamb. The lion is beat at the pro- 

 clamations which regard war, attainders for confpiracies 

 and rebellions, promotions to fupreme commands, and fuch- 

 like high matters. The lamb* is heard only on beneficent, 

 pacific occafions, of gifts from the crown, of general am- 

 neflies, of private pardons, and reverfals of penal ordinances. 

 The whole town was in expectation of fome fanguinary de- 

 cree, when, to their utter furprife, they heard the voice of. 

 the lamb, a certain fign of peace and forgivennefs ; and fpee- 

 dily followed by a proclamation, forbidding people of all de- 

 grees to leave their houfes, that the king's word was pledged 

 for everyone's fecurity ; and that all the principal men 



mould 



* This drum is .of beaten filverj the AbyfHnians fay, that this metal alone is capable oi 

 conveying the fweet found contained in a proclamation of peace. It was- carried off by the 

 rebels after the retreat of Seibraxos. 



